THE STORY: Failing to score has been a reoccurring issue this season for the Los Angeles Kings. Their recent rut has dropped them out the top eight spots in the Western Conference. The Kings get an opportunity to make up some ground on one of the teams they’re chasing when they travel to face the streaking Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday. Los Angeles is 3-1-1 in five meetings this season, but Phoenix is unbeaten in five straight at home.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS West (Kings), FS Arizona Plus (Coyotes)
ABOUT THE KINGS (27-21-11): It’s easy to see why the Kings have only two wins in their past eight games. They have managed three goals in the six losses, including shutouts their two previous games. “The last couple years, we’ve been battling for a playoff spot,” captain Dustin Brown said. “As frustrating as these last two games have been, offensively, we’ve got to refocus.” Goaltender Jonathan Quick has done his part against the Coyotes, stopping 42 of 43 shots in the last two meetings.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (29-21-9): While the Kings are headed in the wrong direction, the Coyotes are on an uptick, going 7-0-1 in February. Phoenix has grabbed 17 of a possible 20 points coming in, the main reason the club has jumped to seventh in the West – two points in front of Calgary and Los Angeles. Forward Radim Vrbata has been red-hot. He has five goals and four assists the past eight games, including four game-winners, en route to a career-best 28 tallies.

OVERTIME:

1. Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith is unbeaten in his last seven starts while posting a minuscule 0.99 goals against average.

2. The Kings average 2.03 goals, last in the NHL.
PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Kings 2 (OT)

With the victory, the Coyotes improved to 7-1-1 in their last nine games and pulled even with the Kings for seventh place in the Western Conference. The pair is just four points behind the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks.

Smith secured his fourth blanking of the season and 15th career by stopping 11 shots in the first period, eight in the second and nine in the third. Smith also improved to 7-2-1 in his career versus Los Angeles.

Vrbata finally broke through after Kings defenseman Jack Johnson was serving a delay of game penalty.

With 4:01 left in the second period, Vrbata accepted a cross-ice feed from Ray Whitney and wired a shot from the right faceoff circle past All-Star Jonathan Quick. The tally was Vrbata’s fifth in nine contests.

Quick finished with 20 saves for the Kings, who fell to 2-4-1 in their last seven games.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The teams waged a physical battle in the first period, with three fights and two roughing penalties to highlight a scoreless session. … Whitney, who saw his eight-game point streak come to an end in the team’s last contest, had an assist on Vrbata’s goal.

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